232 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. APR 6 
factories are run—by an expert who owns the 
whole plant, as he would the grist-mill, black¬ 
smith-shop, machine-shop, or store of the lo¬ 
cality. Or the building, and sometimes the 
machinery, may be owned by a capitalist in¬ 
terested, or a joint stock company of farmers, 
according to circumstances, and the capital 
of the right man would then be used for man¬ 
ufacturing the butter. He should not buy 
the milk, or be constrained to do so, in order 
to get patronage. He should make the 
product by the pound, and give the farmer 
all, save the fee for manufacturing. He 
should be held responsible for making a good 
product, in the best style and method of man¬ 
ufacture, and for putting it into a safe and 
attractive package. There should be a co¬ 
operative spirit on the part of the patrons, a 
helping of each other In the way of getting 
good stock, and learning the best methods of 
growing foods, caring for cows and their 
milk, aui a generous spirit of forbearance 
aud helpfulness toward the manufacturer, 
and a cheerful compliance with his instruc¬ 
tions, especially in regard to caring for milk. 
If held responsible for a good product he 
mud; have the right to reject defective milk, 
if it comes. 
ABOUT MANURE. 
G. W. G., Justus, Pa. —l What is the per¬ 
centage of loss in plant food from a pile of 
manure exposed to the weather from Novem¬ 
ber until April? 2. What is the best practi¬ 
cal method of keeping manure, where from 10 
to 25 head of stock are kept? 3. What is the 
value of liquid manure from horses and cows, 
and the best practical method of saving it? 
ANSWERED BY PROF. I. P. ROBERTS. 
1. So much depends upon the character of 
the manure, the depth of the pile and the 
amount of rainfall that no definite answer 
can be given. Prom observation and experi¬ 
ment I should say that manure spread out 
from four to eight inches in depth as in most 
barn-yards, would probably lose at least one- 
half of its real value. Seme experiments in 
England show that five tons of raw manure, 
lost in rotting, one-half of its nitrogen aud 
over one-half of its bulk. When we consider 
the amount of water that falls, upon the aver¬ 
age, on each and every acre in this State, one 
cannot understand why any thinking man 
should deliberately store the most valuable 
produce of the farm in an open barn-yard for 
from six to nine months in the year. Three 
thousand two hundred tons of water fall on 
each acre annually and on each barn-yard of 
100 by 110 feet, 800 tons. Can a farmer af¬ 
ford to put a man at one dollar per day at one 
end of a dung fork to lift 800 tons of wate r at 
the other end; or can he afford to baptise his 
manures? He is compelled to haul this water 
to the field if it does not leach out; if it does 
it carries valuable plant food with it. Some 
experiments conducted at Cornell University 
show that 60 cents worth of plant food was 
lost with each ton of water that leached 
through eight inches of strawy manure. 
Eight hundred tons to lift or leach! Farmers, 
can you afford it? 
2. What cannot be hauled out in late fall 
and early winter, and spread where there 
is a plant growing, and what is made, 
say, from December or January to May 
should be kept in a covered yard or a manure 
cellar or in a water-tight rotting pit in the 
open, where all leaching may be pumped 
back on the pile. We use both the first and 
the last of these methods and find them very 
satisfactory. 3. Under average conditions we 
shall find the following: 
NITROGEN POTASH 
Horse 3000 lbs. 46.5 lbs. 45 lbs. Value $9.93 
Cow 8000 “ 46.4 “ 39.2“ “ $9.65 
The ab-ve is computed on the basis of 17 
cents for nitrogen and 4>£ cents for potash. 
In open barn-yards and in piles of hot horse 
manure most of the nitrogen and not a small 
share of the potash are lost. Mix the dry 
horse manure with the wet cow manure. 
Use as absorbents dry earth or mu *k, buck¬ 
wheat hulls, sawdust, gypsum, imported moss, 
shavings, straw and refuse hay. It none of 
these can be found in sufficient quantities, 
then the urine should be run into a water¬ 
tight receptacle, pumped into a tank and 
spread upon grass land, but this as a last re¬ 
sort. What sane man would leave his barn 
roof off to save a little expense and let 360 
pounds of water fall annually on each square 
foot of hay mow? What informed farmer 
will continue to let 360 pounds of water fall 
on each square foot of the barn yard when it 
usually contains three to five times as many 
tons as his hay mow, each ton of which if it is 
properly made manure, is worth $3.00? 
PERMANENT GRASSES FOR HAY. 
A. H. II., Rayville , Maryland.—I have 
about two acres of land in my orchard that 
were in potatoes and beans last year. The 
land is in tolerably fair order but not rich. 
It is a hill-side and adjoins my yard at the 
dwelling, and as it washes badly when in culti¬ 
vated crops I want to seed it permanently 
with those kinds of grassos that would be best 
for hay, as I never expect to pasture it. 
What kinds of grass seeds had 1 better use ? 
Would several kinds be better and produce 
more hay than one or two ? I have read that 
an acre of rich soil well seeded with a good 
selection and variety of perennial grasses will 
produce six tons of well-cured hay in one 
season without difficulty by cutting early and 
mowing twice. Does the Rural think this 
statement reliable and within bounds ? The 
writer of the book recommends five quarts of 
Timothy, three of White clover, six of Or¬ 
chard grass and three of Red-top per acre. I 
have also seen a recommendation of a mixture 
of seeds for hay and pasture by Mr. Joseph 
Harris. It consists of the following: Orchard 
grass, English and Italiau Rye grass, Meadow 
Fescue, Meadow Foxtail, Fall Meadow Oat 
grass, True Perennial Sweet-scented vernal 
grass, Kentucky Blue-grass and Red-top. He 
recommends three bushels of this mixture and 
one quart of White clover, one quart of Alsike 
and four quarts of Medium Red clover per 
acre for uplands, sown alone without grain. 
The trees on this part of the orchard do not 
stand very close together, but of course there 
is some shade. Is the above mixture as good 
a selection as I could get for these two acres, 
and would the shade be against the full devel¬ 
opment of this mixture of grasses ? 
Ans. —The mixture of grasses mentioned as 
recommended by Joseph Harris is a good one, 
although the quantities of each should be 
stated. Three busheD of these grasses would 
be about 40 pounds in weight and as little as 
should be sown. The quantity might be di¬ 
vided as follows: Six pounds Orchard grass, 
15 pounds of Pacey’s Perennial Rye grass, 
five pounds of Italian Rye grass, and five 
pounds each of Tall Fescue, Fox-tail, and Tall 
Oat grass; in all, 41 pounds. Kentucky Blue 
grass will not do well in Maryland, and Red- 
top is a very poor hay grass. The statement 
referred to is too rose-colored; in fact, it may 
be said to be impossible with the grasses 
mentioned, as White clover and Red-top are 
very poor plants for hay, and Timothy and 
Orchard grass mature at such a long time 
apart that either a light crop must be cut or 
the hay will be inferior. Necessarily the 
trees and the grass will be injurious to each 
other, and unless the ground for 25 feet 
around each tree is kept free from the grass 
and is cultivated and manured, there will be 
but a poor growth and poor fruit. Orchard 
and meadew are decidedly antagonistic. The 
grass seed may be sown as soon as possible, 
either alone or with oats sown thinly and 
cut for hay when in first head. The land 
should be well plowed and harrowed and fer¬ 
tilizing will be desirable if it is not manured. 
HOW TO LOAD A WAGON: FEED FOR A COLT. 
P. K. S., Prattsburg, A. Y. —l. Farmers 
and teamsters generally load their wagons 
heaviest orer the forward (smaller) wheels in 
order to get the load nearer the team, as they 
can handle it easier; are they right? 2 lam 
feeding a three-year old colt oats in the 
bundle, and the orts of closer hay after the 
calves have eaten what they will; what should 
I add to the rations? 
Ans.— 1 The question of draft is one that 
involves several points of scientific calcula¬ 
tion and depends upon several varying con¬ 
ditions. On a level road when the wheels are 
pf such a hight as to bring the line of draft 
on a level with the center of gravity of the 
load and the load lies equally upon the four 
wheels, the draft will be the easiest, and the 
team will move it most readily when closest 
to the load. When the line of draft is higher 
than the center of gravity of the load, the 
draft will be heavier as pressure is exerted on 
the load, aud vice versa. As a wheel is a sort 
of lever, the larger it is, the easier the load is 
moved, within certain bounds; and all the 
more on auy roads but those with perfectly 
solid and unyielding tread, as on a railroad. 
Earth roads which yield under the wheels 
cause the load to move up a constant incline, 
in effect; and a rough stony road is worse 
still. And then the larger the wheel the more 
easily the load is drawn; the broader the tire 
also the easier the draft. In loading a com¬ 
mon wagon under ordinary circumstances 
the load should be evenly apportioned on all 
the wheels; when the road is rough, the larger 
and hinder wheels may be loaded somewhat 
heavier than the forward ones for the easiest 
draft, on the principle above mentioned. 2. 
Bran for all growing animals should make a 
considerable part of the food. This is evident 
considering that young animals are making 
bone and flesh, and thus require nitrogen and 
phosphoric acid in the most digestible form, 
and these are provided by bran as may be 
thus shown. 
COMPOSITION OF BRAN. 
Albuminoids 
Flesh-formers.12.9 per cent. 
Ash.. 5.1 “ “ 
Carbohydrates. 59.1 “ “ 
Fat.. .. 3.5 « “ 
OF THE ASH. 
Phosphoric acid 
Bone material. ... 51.8 per cent. 
FEED FOR COWS FOR BUTTER. 
W. G. F., Ithaca, N. Y .—I am feeding to 
milch cows for butter equal parts by weight of 
ground oats and corn; is this an economical 
ration aui how many pounds should be fed 
an ordinary 1,000 pound cow? How could 
the ration be improved? Each cow has 10 
pounds of potatoes and all the good clover 
hay sh9 will eat Will it pay to grain cows 
in June and July if they have good pasture? 
ANSWERED BY HENRY STEWART. 
In choosing fools for butter-nmkiug the 
effect upon the character of the butter is to 
be considered more than the fat contained in 
it. It has been found by experiment aud long 
practice in meiical aud physiological investi¬ 
gations, that the fats of the food are emul¬ 
sified with the pancreatic fluid and are ab¬ 
sorbed by the intestines directly into the 
blood without alteration; and the use of fatty 
matters as medicine is controlled by this well 
known fact. As the fat of the milk is derived 
from the blood the food must necessarily 
exert an influence upon the character of the 
butter, and this is clearly proved by practice 
in the dairy. Linseed-oil-cake meal, whicu is 
rich in fat, of which the flavor is bad, makes 
poor butter, while that of cotton-seed meal, 
which has a bland, sweet and nutty-flavored 
oil, equal to the very finest quality of olive 
oil, and has also a rich yell ow color, makes 
the finest butter. Tne fat of oats is white and 
hard and makes inferior butter; that of corn- 
meal is much better. Hence oats cannot be 
considered as a good food for butter-making 
cows. The action on the digestive organs is 
also to be considered and it is found that 
bran has a good effect in this way. Hence the 
most desirable food for butter cows is made 
up of corn-meal aud bran in equal parts and 
as much cotton-seed meal as can be given 
healthfully, which is about one-eighth part of 
the whole grain fool, or one pound of the 
cotton meal to four pounds each of corn-meal 
and bran. This may be considered as a 
standard ration for a 1,000-pound cow, to be 
increased as the cow can profitably dispose of 
it; some cows will consume this quantity 
atone feed, and increase in yield on it; others 
cannot digest it. This is to be found by test¬ 
ing the cows with caution, stopping at the 
point of safety. 
CORN FOR A SUCCESSION. 
J R , Lexington, Mo .—l have agreed to 
furnish 60 dozen ears of sweet corn per day, 
during the corn season. This will require 600 
dozen ears every ten days. I want to plant 
tb9 Cory for first, Minnesota for secoad, 
Moore’s Concord for third, Cory for fourth, 
and Stowell’s Evergreen for the rest of the 
season; how many acres of each shall I plant 
at one time and what space of time should 
elapse between the plantings? The party 
wanting this corn told me to plant Cory, 
Minnesota, Moore’s Concord, and Stowell’s 
Evergreen all at the same time, and then 
Cory 10 days later for a succession of 50 days 
running. I am doubtful about what he says. 
Ans.— Why any one wants to plant Cory 
for a late or later succession we caunot under¬ 
stand The ears are small and the quality in¬ 
ferior. It is the best we can do for first 
early. After that its usefulness is gone. The 
R. N.-Y. advises the following succession as 
being a9 good as any. Cory, Minnesota, 
Perry’s Hybrid, Crosby, Moore’s Concord, 
Triumph and Evergreen. All the above may 
be planted at the same time, tnough, of 
course, each will lap over upon the next. To 
insure the best corn in its season we should 
plant relatively less of the earlier kinds so 
that they will have been exhausted when the 
later and better kinds come in. For succes¬ 
sion we should plant only the intermediate or 
later varieties. For instance, Triumph or 
Evergreen might well be planted every 10 
days after the first plaating. Or Crosby 
might be planted as late as July if there i 3 no 
objection to rather small ears. The last ques¬ 
tion we are unable to answer, so much de¬ 
pends on the fertility of the land, etc. The 
R. N.-Y. invites discussion on the above ques¬ 
tions and answers. 
TREATMENT OF AN UNPRODUCTIVE ORCHARD. 
S. C., Riverside, Mich. —I have a Rhode 
Island Greening orchard of 150 trees about 
thirty years old, which have not borne any 
fruit to speak of for a number of years. The 
orchard has been plowed every year but the 
trees have not been properly trimmed. They 
are covered with what I call tree lice. What 
can I do to make them bear ? 
Ans. —The best thiug to do to such an 
orchard is, first, to manure it liberally and 
work the manure well into the soil with a 
disk or Cutaway harrow. Then put on 
sufficient fertilizer for a crop of beans and 
plant them, keeping the grouu 1 well culti¬ 
vated until the crop is matured. This is 
under the supposition that the trees are not 
crowded,—that is, they should have beeu set 
out originally not less than 35 feet apart each 
way. If thev are closer, thin them down, (by 
cutting and digging out the poorest) to not 
more than 36 trees to the acre. Then the next 
spring get an experienced hand to prune the 
remainder, removing only such limbs as evi¬ 
dently must go, and covering the cuts with a 
coating of warm coal tar. When the trees 
have started a healthy growth, the lice, (if 
the leaf louse or aphis is meant), will not be 
likely to do serious harm. But if the trees 
are infested with bark lice (the scale insect), 
they can be combatted at the time when the 
young insects emerge from the scale, gener¬ 
ally in May, (making the bark look as if 
thinly sprinkled with flour), by spraying the 
bark all over with weak lye, about one-fourth 
as strong as is needed for making soap ; or 
ashes may be thrown into the tree when the 
bark is wet. As a rule, the bark lice do not 
seriously injure vigorous trees. 
TO GET A COW WITH CALF. 
L. E. H., Easton, N. Y .—A young cow 
dropped her calf iu March last, aud appeared 
to be all right. In about two weeks after¬ 
wards she was taken with what was termed 
by our veterinarian,inflammation of the womb, 
and was treated for the same by him until 
she was to all appearances cured. Since that 
time she has been in season at regular inter¬ 
vals. She is now giving milk, and seems well 
in all respects. She has been taken to differ¬ 
ent bulls, but to no purpose. Can anything 
be done for her? 
Ans.— Give the cow two table spoonfuls of 
the following powders in the feed night and 
morning: Sulphate of iron and powdered 
nux vomica each four ounces; powdered gen¬ 
tian root and ginger each eight ouuces; ground 
pepper two ounces; mix. If the cow is fat re¬ 
duce the feed, especially the grain ration. 
Give little or no corn. Allow at least four or 
five hours’ exercise daily out of doors when che 
weather will permit. The stable should be 
light, cool and airy. Have the neck of the 
womb examined by your veterinary surgeon, 
to make sure that the passage is open, and 
that there is no catarrh or discharge. When 
next in heat aud just before being served by 
the bull, have the passage through the neck of 
the womb very carefully dilated with the 
oiled hand, by slowly introducing one finger 
until ycu can insert two or three Augers. 
Then let the cow be served immediately by a 
common or grade bull—not by a thorough¬ 
bred. Repeat this treatment at the next 
period if not successful the first time. 
CANNING MEAT AT HOME. 
Several Subscribers. —Is it practicable to 
can beef or other meats at home? 
Ans —Canned meats are pretty cheap now, 
as they are turned out in immense quantities 
by the wholesale canners Many think the 
large canners are not so neat and particular 
in the selection of meats for canuiug as they 
should be. Farmers who kill beeves are some¬ 
times left with a quantity of meat on their 
hands that they canuot sell at a profit. Prices 
for poultry are sometimes so low that useless 
stock must either be kept at a loss or almost 
given away. In such cases it may pay to can 
this meat and thus hold it in an excellent 
form for future consumption. As to the 
profit of the operation each must determine 
for himself. One of our Connecticut sub¬ 
scribers, Mr. H. Harrington, writes as follows 
about his method of canning: 
“ 1 first strip the meat from the bones, and 
cut it into pieces as large as I can get into the 
cans. At the canning factories I get cans 
made of tin called three-pouud cans, but they 
will hold just two pounds of beef or any other 
kind of meat. One should not put in more 
than this, for if he does, he will have trouble. 
Put in one table-spoonful of salt and solder 
tight, leaving no vents. Place the cans in 
boiling water and boil them for 45 to 60 min¬ 
utes; take out and pierce each can with an 
awl, then solder each hole made with the 
awl. As soon as you can, put them back in 
the water, and boil them until the meat is 
tender. Beef, chicken or any other kind of 
meat put up in this way, wilt keep a life-time 
if desired. I have practiced it for a good 
many years.” 
CUTTING SILAGE FOR FEED. 
S. A. L., Mooresville, N. C. —Is it best to 
feed silage from the top or to cut it down from 
the side ? 2. Where can tarred paper be ob¬ 
tained and at what price ? 
ANSWERED BY PROFESSOR A. J. COOK. 
It is better to feed from the top. Iu the 
